Illuminated portable writing board



C. W. RAABE Jan. 5, 1943.

ILLUMINATED PORTABLE WRITING BOARD Filed March 25, 1941 Patented Jan. 5, 1943 icE . 2,307,468 ILLUMINATED PORTABLE WRITING BOARD Carl W. Raabe; Sioux Falls, IS. Dak.

Appucanon'March 2s, 1941, sei-isi No.

a Writing sheet on the board.`

The invention consists inthe details of conthe several ing board whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully'set forth.

In order that my invention nderstood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of an illuminated portable Writing board constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in bottom plan of the upper portion of the board as herein com- Prised.'

Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the lighting circuits as herein embodied.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing B dewriting board of desired dimenthe board. The detailed construction of the board B and clamp C forms no part of the present invention, although it is to be stated that it is preferred in practice that the board B have its marginal portions formed in a manner to eliminate the liability of cutting hands and scratching surfaces.

The clamp C is positioned at what is termed the top of the board B and secured to the under surface of the top portion of the board B is a relatively large plate I. This plate I is held to the under surface of the board B by the same fastening means 2 for holding the clamp in position upon the board. This means 2, as herein disparts of my improved writ-- may be the better' ing Il in substantial alignment with the opening ticular casing 6l is in closed position the bulb I0 will function, resulting the creation of a ray or socket I I is a plug I5 from which leads a conductor I6. This conductor I6 is in electrical connection withy an angularly and inwardly disposed arm I'l of a material conductive of electricity and which is in continuation of an elongated and substantially rigid conductor arm I8. 'I'he angular arm I 'I is snugly inserted within an within an ber 20 is secured in place by soldering or in any manner preferred, and as herein disclosed is also tion of the arm 23 of a length to extend a distance beyond the oppodes of the late I. sit''le arm 8 ig a conductor leading to one of the contacts vfor a lamp socket member 2| in which is received, in a conventional manner. the base of an incandescent bulb 22. The socket 2| substantially at right angles to the arm 'la and in a direction toward the board n.

'Ihe second contact of the socket 2| has in electrical connection therewith an elongated conductor arm 23. This arm 23 is also substantially rigid and the two arms I8 and 23 diverge away from the socket 2|. The end portion of the arm 23 remote from the socket 2| is provided with an inwardly and angularly related arm 2l which carries a plug in a socket 28 nxedly mounted within the end portion of the member 20 remote from the end into which the arm i1 is received. This arm 23 constitutes a grounding line for the circuit in which the socket 2| is interposed. The end poradiacent to its arm. 24 is selectively received withinl the notches 25 provided in the adjacent end of the member 20 so that the arms I8 and 23 may be held in a position to maintain the socket 2|, together with its bulb 22, in dliierent positions with respect to the board B, as may be preferred by the user.

It is to be pointed out that the arms |8 and 23 in addition to vconstituting conductors for the electric circuit for the socket 2| also constitute supporting means for said socket 2| which is carried thereby.

As is particularly illustrated in Figure 2, the upper or outer ends of the casings 4 have slip engagement over the socket members 8 and while the inner or lower end portions of these caslngs I are partially received within the semicircular recesses 26 provided in the outer longitudinal margin of the inner or lower flange 3. The adjacent end portion of each of the casings 4 is provided therearound with a continuous channel 21 into which the marginal portion of the :Bange 3 defining a recess 26 is received, thus providing an interlocking means to facilitate the maintaining of the casing l in working position.

The casings I are further held in applied position by a cap strip 28 which contacts the outer longitudinal edge of the inner or lower flange 3 and is provided with the suitably positioned semicircular recesses 29 in each of which is received an end portion of a casing l. The strip 28 at its longitudinal center carries the laterally directed spring arm 38 which passes through a suitably positioned opening 3| in the inner or lower flange 3, whereby the strip 28 is held in position, yet can be readily removed when desired.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a writing board constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly weli adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

l. In a portable writing board, a board body having a top, a plate secured against one side of the l.board at the top thereof, the top and bottom elongated supporting arms for said member' diverging theref plugs carried by the end portions of said divergin arms insertible within the said sockets, said diverging arms forming current conductors, and an electrical connection between one arm and one of the socket members for connection with one side of the battery, the second socket member and the other side of the battery being grounded to the plate. a

2. In a portable writing board, a board body having a top," a plate secured to one side of the 25'A which ls insertble withportions of the plate having outstanding flanges,

an elongated casing bridging the space between the flanges and supported thereby, said casing being adapted to house a battery, an electric current conducting means carried by one of the ilanges forconnection with a battery within the casing, socket members carried by the said one of the flanges, an electric illuminating member,

board at the top thereof, outstanding flanges carried by the plate at the top and bottom edges thereof, a casing interpos between and supported by the ilanges, said casing being designed to house an electric battery, a socket member carried by one of the nanges and extending into the casing for electrical connection with a battery within the casing, and an illuminating member in electrical connection with the socket.

3. In a portable writing board, a board body having a top, a plate secured to one side of the board at the top, outstanding nanges carried by the plate at the top and bottom edges, a socket carried by the top flange, a battery casing having one end joined to the socket and having its other end coupled to the bottom flange, said socket being in electrical connection with one side of a battery housed in the casing, an electric incandescent lamp, and supporting means for said lamp providing an electrical connection between the other side of the battery and one side of the lamp and an electrical connection between the other side of the lamp and the socket.

4. A portable writing board as set forth in claim 3, in which the said one end of the battery casing is detachably connected with the socket and the coupling between the other end of the casing and the bottom ilange comprises a member detachably secured to the bottom nange and having a recess coacting with a recess in the bottom gauge to form an opening in which the casing is eld.

5. In a portable writing board, a board body having a top, a plate secured to a side of the board at the top, top and bottom spaced flanges carried by the plate, means at opposite edges of the plate at the top forming oppositely directed current conducting sockets, an incandescent lamp holding socket, a pair ofcurrent conducting arms upon the side of the board opposite the plate and connected at one end with and supporting the lamp socket, the other ends of said arms being each mounted in one of the first sockets to turn therein on an axis extending transversely of the board whereby the lamp socket may be moved toward and away from the adjacent side of the board, one of said other ends of the arms being electrically insulated from the socket in which it is mounted, the ends of the arms connected with the lamp socket being electrically insulated for electrical connection with opposite sides of an incandescent lamp mounted in the lamp socket, a battery casing secured between and electrically connected with one of said flanges, current conducting means electrically connected with that arm having its end insulated from the socket in winch it is mounted and adapted for electricalconnection with one end of a battery in the casing, and means for electrically connecting the other end of the battery with the casing whereby a closed electrical circuit will be set up from one side of the battery through the casing, plate, one arm to the lamp socket, and back through'the other claim 5, with means adjacent opposite sockets providing selective stops for enarm and said current conducting means to theV other side of the battery. d d 6. A portable writing board as set forth in to one oi the said writing board.. a board body a plate secured to one side of the projecting above the top thereof,

top and bottom spaced lilanges carried by the plate, means forming a pair o f. current conduct'- ing sockets in the angle between the top flange and plate and aligned on an axis extending across the plate and disposed above the top of. the board, a

pair of current conducting arms upon the other side of the board from the plate metallic plate.

with which the Said other terminal is electrically connected has edge vnotches in which the boardedge crossing portion of. the adjacent arm may be selectively engaged 'and held upon movement of the arms.

9. In a portable writing boardand in combina- Y .tubular battery casings extending-between the anges and each having a socket frictionally en gaged in one end, each casing having its other 4 vend disposed in a recess, means lying across the and each having a portion extending across the top of the board and transversely'of a socket and an inturned terminus forming a" tru nnion extending into the adjacent socket; the trunnion forming termini being turnable in the sockets and one being electrically insulated from its socket and the other being electrically coupled with its socket, an electric lamp socket having the other ends of the arms electrically connected therewith but electrically separated fromone another for electrical connection with the two sides of an electric lamp in the lamp socket, the lamp socket being arranged tofdirect light from a lamp therein toward the board and the arms being movable to move the lamp socket toward and away from the board, a battery casing mounted between said flanges, .means for establishing an electrical connection between the casing and one side of a battery therein, and means coupled with but electrically insulated from the casing adapted to form an electrical connection between theother side of the battery and the said one insulated arm terminus. A

8. A portable writing board as set forth in claim 7, in which the one or the pair otsockets connected to a battery in secured at one end casings and lsecured to the recessed flange securing the casings in the recesses, one of said sockets having an incandescent lamp base receiving means, one side of saidlamp being electrically the adjacent casing through the casing andthe other side oi the lamp-being directly in contact with the other side of the battery, an electric current conductor in the other socket for electrical connection 4|with one side of a battery in the adjacent casing, the other side 'of the last battery being electrically connected with the enclosing casing and with the plate, an incandescent lamp socket, a pair of current conducting arms each having one end electrically connected with one side of the lamp socket, the other ends of the arms being pivotally coupled with the top of the plate, the arms swingingly supporting the lamp socket on the other side of the board from the plate, and one of said arms being insulated from the plate but electrically connected with the other end of said current conductor and the other arm being in electrical connection with the plate for completion of an electric circuit. v

y cai-u. w. RAABE. 

